clinton county resa early on ® training & technical assistance higher education introduction...

Clinton County RESA Early On® Training & Technical Assistance

Higher EducationIntroduction to:

Developing Functional IFSP Outcomes to

Meet the Unique Needs of Children and their

Families


Purpose of Early On:

to enhance the capacity of families to meet the special needs of their infants and toddlers with disabilities

IDEA Part C Sec. 631 FINDINGS AND POLICY


Overarching Goal of Part C

“All children will be active and successful participants in their own learning now and in the future in a variety of settings.”Early Childhood Outcomes Center

How do we measure this goal?A. Children have positive social relationships.B. Children acquire and use knowledge and skills.C.Children take appropriate action to meet their needs.

How do we accomplish this?Develop IFSP outcomes with families that are based upon the child’s participation in daily life activities.


7 Key Principles of Early Intervention

1 Infants and toddlers learn best through everyday experiences and interactions with familiar people in familiar contexts.

2. All families, with the necessary supports and resources, can enhance their children’s learning and development.

3. The primary role of a service provider in early intervention is to work with, and support, family members and caregivers in children’s lives.

Workgroup on Principles and Practices in Natural Environments (February, 2008) Seven key principles: Looks like / doesn’t look like. OSEP TA Community of Practice- Part C Settings.

http://www.nectac.org/topics/families/families.asp



4. The early intervention process must be dynamic and individualized to reflect the child’s and family member’s preferences, learning styles and cultural beliefs.

5. IFSP outcomes must be functional and based on children’s and families’ needs and family-identified priorities.



6. The family’s priorities, needs and interests are addressed most appropriately by a primary provider who represents and receives team and community support.

7. Interventions with young children and family members must be based on explicit principals, validated practices, best available research, and relevant laws and regulations.

TA Community of Practice: Workgroup on Principals and Practice in Natural Environments


The Reality

Practitioner implemented interventions in the absence of parent capacity building, even 2 hours per day per week for 50 weeks, accounts for only about 1% of a child’s waking hours. Carl Dunst


Why Functional Outcomes

• Provide direction for collaboration between family members and service providers about how to reach a family’s desired outcomes.

• Identifying functional outcomes with families is the cornerstone for developing the IFSP

• (Jung & Baird, 2003; Boone at al, 1998; McWilliam et al, 1998)


The focal point of the functional outcome is the child’s enhanced active involvement in activities or routines that are important to the family in order to promote the child’s learning, growth, and development.


Routines Based Conversations

• Initiate discussions about everyday activities/routines

• Listen to routines to obtain information about the child’s engagement, independence, and social relationships.

• Listen for possible IFSP outcomes during the conversation.

• Identify family priorities related to child’s participation in everyday activities


Routines Based Conversations

• During the interview– Remind the family of the purpose– Tie in the interview to the family’s

priorities– Put the family at ease– Questions should go beyond

developmental questions


Why Functional Outcomes

• More is Better*• BUT this means more learning opportunities, NOT

more services;• Learning is what happens between visits of the

professionals:– Throughout the child’s day,– In everyday routines and activities,– Through multiple repetitions and lots of practice,– The way ALL young children learn and participate

with families and friends in their communities.* Thanks to Dr. Lee Ann Jung, 2003


Different Approaches

• Based on model of typical development

• Outcomes selected for skills in a developmental hierarchy that child has not mastered

• Based on promoting child & family success in current environments

• Outcomes selected from routines-based needs

• Developmental • Functional


Different Approaches cont’d.

Developmental

• Identify & correct deficits

• Context of behavior is irrelevant

Adapted from R. A. McWilliam Routines-Based Early Intervention

Functional

• Addresses skills needed in home & community

• Context of behavior is basis of outcome


Functional IFSP Outcomes

For a very young child, functionality means

•engagement,

•independence, and

•social relationships.

Early Intervention Training Center for Infants and Toddlers With Visual Impairments FPG Child Development Institute University of North Carolina-Chapel HillR.A. McWilliam August 2004


Outcomes Should:• Focus on the whole child rather

than discreet skills

• Focus on the child’s participation in activity settings that are important to the family

• Recognize the family as the primary agent of change in the child’s development


Outcomes Should Be….

1. Jargon-free?2. Discipline-free?3. Based on the child’s participation in the

family’s activities?4. Promoting the child’s

Engagement in family activities?Independence in family activities?Social Relationships within family

activities?

5. Understandable to all?


7 Steps for Writing Functional Outcomes:

1. Read the short-hand version of the outcome from a family-centered, functional needs assessment (e.g., RBI, activity checklist)

2. Find out what routine this affects3. Write “Child will participate in [the

routine(s) in question]”


6. Add another criterion for generalization, maintenance, or fluency, if appropriate.•Across routines, people, materials, places, etc.•Over time (See following step)•Rate of behavior

7. Over what amount of time

Steps continued


_______________ will participate in(Child) ________________________________ by(routine)

___________________________________________.(behavior)

We will know this when he/she____________________________________________ (measurable acquisition criteria)

___________________________________________.(duration - add the amount of time over which the behavior needs to be displayed. e.g. in one week)


Contact Information

• Clinton County RESA, Early On Training & Technical Assistance: 1866-334-5437

• http://eotta.ccresa.org

• Criss Hickey: [email protected]

• Jean Wassenaar: [email protected]

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